Page 44

MAY 1936

25 MONDAY

Today the wind freshened quite a lot but as it is now blowing
nearly due east and our course brings us very close to east it
is of no value to us. We are now exactly 100 days at sea and
unless we get more favourable winds it will take us at least
3 weeks more to reach our destination. A small oil tanker
passed very close to us today but did not bother to return
our salute much to the disgust of our 1st mate. The paint-
ing is now more than 1/2 finished and is being pushed
along very quickly by the officers.

26 TUESDAY

The weather today has been rather cold but fortunately
I was given a job which allowed me to keep in a sheltered
spot most of the time. I have been chipping and scraping
under the jib-boom all day and it has been rather pleas
ant to have been able to work without being cold for one
full watch. As the winds are still unfavourable we are now
making very little progress. The boys of the starboard watch had
the job of bending a new staysail today when the old one
suddenly blew out this morning.

27 WEDNESDAY

The wind is now very strong but it is still unfavourable
and we are being blown farther and farther north every
day. We are now much farther north than is necessary to
reach our order port but unfortunately we cannot strike a
wind that is suitable to take us over the remaining 800 miles
of our journey. The painting is now drawing to a close and
our job today has been washing over the new paint with
soap and water. The fresh meat is now all gone and we are
back on the old diet of salt pork and potatoes, which after
fresh pork is not very appetizing after working in the cold
all day.

MAY 1936

25 MONDAY

Today the wind freshened quite a lot but as it is now blowing
nearly due east and our course brings us very close to east it
is of no value to us. We are now exactly 100 days at sea and
unless we get more favourable winds it will take us at least
3 weeks more to reach our destination. A small oil tanker
passed very close to us today but did not bother to return
our salute much to the disgust of our 1st mate. The paint-
ing is now more than 1/2 finished and is being pushed
along very quickly by the officers.

26 TUESDAY

The weather today has been rather cold but fortunately
I was given a job which allowed me to keep in a shelterd
spot most of the time. I have been chipping and scraping
under the jib-boom all day and it has been rather pleas
ant to have been able to work without being cold for one
full watch. As the winds are still unfavourable we are now
making very little progress. The boys of the starboard watch had
the job of bending a new staysail today when the old one
suddenly blew out this morning.

27 WEDNESDAY

The wind is now very strong but it is still unfavourable
and we are being blown farther and farther north every
day. We are now much farther north than is necessary to
reach our order port but unfortunately we cannot strike a
wind that is suitable to take us over the remaining 800 miles
of our journey. The painting is now drawing to a close and
our job today has been washing over the new paint with
soap and water. The fresh meat is now all gone and we are
back on the old diet of salt pork and potatoes, which after
fresh pork is not very appetizing after working in the cold
all day.